The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-08
An Engineer with Skirts.


From the New York World.
For some time there has been
good deal Of quiet talk among rail-
road men in Bridgeport, Conn.,, ofthe
singular discovery made by the Off
GERS OF the Naugatuck railway COM
pany that woman, disguised in male
attire, had been running an engine on
their road for many months. The
heroine is an English girl named Mat
tie Morgans, who came to this coun'
try about two years ago after serving
her apprenticeship as stoker on the
Great Northern railway. between
London and Edinburgh. She readily
secured position rs fireman on the
Naugatuck railroad and was eventual
ly promoted to the post OF engineer.
She resigned her position six months
ago. Five years ago Matte Morgans.
then pretty girl OF 10. fell in love
with Tom Winnan, an engineer OF the
"Flying Scotchman" in England. She
listened to the romance OF his life and
lonced to initiate him. A short time
only was required to bring about her
plans. With Toms earnest assist
ance she was duly installed as stok-
er under his charge. her face purpose
ly besmeared with coal-dust and oil.
This happy life went on for a year;
then he was killed by q shunted car
and died with his head In his "stok-
er's" lap In her grief she revealed
her womanhood and was obliged to ny.
She tells her own story of lie on the
Connecticut railroad. 81 was APP
pointed engineer of the night freight
with 74-mile run. lnever had any
serious accident, but have killed two
men. One was walking on the track.
/ blew and blew for him, but he did
not hear me, and was struck. The
other man attempted to drive his
wagon over grade crossing. lstruck
him and killed him and his horse also.
These accidents had q strange effect
upon me. OF course | was not to
blame and was exonerated by the
officials, but seeing these men killed
produced insomnia. could not sleep.
| Their faces were constantly staring at
me. My last accident drove me from
my trade. / was running my train
with a new engine, No. 100, and was
going nearly fifty miles an hour. Far
ahead on the track, between the rails,
saw something white which | Thought
was piece of newspaper. AS drew
nearer, oh! horrorl it was little child.
1t was sitting facing me and playing
with the dirt and stones. | reversed
and tried to stop but it was impossi'
BILE. As l got nearer the little thing
looked up and clapped its hand ap-
parently in delight at the big engine,
and in an instant the ponderous
monster had passed over it. al,
most tainted but stopped the train
The people went back. The poor lit
tie thing was ground to atoms. That
was my last trip. That child haunted
me day and night. was taken III
and when at last recovered | resum
ed my skirts. am again to be mar
ried to stationary engineer. After
am married | hope to be able to max,
visit some time to England anc
point out to my husband the Flying
Scotchman' where first learned tc
run upon n locomotive" Matte
Morgans is but "a years old. She has
light-colored banged hair, large darl
eyes and is quite handsome. Her fac'
approaches, perhaps, the masculine
and has a determined expression O
character, yet withal it lights up with
pleasant smiles and betrays in un
guarded moments the gentler feelings
OF the weaker sex.